Why are Kuwait and Lebanon playing in 2023 SAFF Championship despite not being South Asian nations?

Kuwait and Lebanon national teams are invited to play the 2023 SAFF Championship.

Why are Kuwait and Lebanon playing in 2023 SAFF Championship despite not being South Asian nations?

Lebanon and Kuwait are invited to the SAFF Championship (Image Via- firstpost)

SAFF Championship is a football tournament that is played and participated by the South Asian nation. The participants in this tournament include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Although Afghanistan joined SAFF back in 2005. But later in 2015, they left SAFF to join the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA). India is the most decorated team in the tournament as they have won it a record eight times.

In the 2023 SAFF Championship tournament two more teams, Kuwait and Lebanon were added to increase the competitiveness of the tournament. These nations aren’t South Asian nations but are still invited to join the 14th edition of the competition.

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SAFF decided to go beyond the norms and extend the tournament to two Non-Asian countries for the first time in the history of the tournament. In a recent interview, Bhutan striker Tsenda Dorji talked about this historic step by the association to invite Kuwait and Lebanon to the competition. He said, “Our training, including gym sessions, is on track. And we will give our best efforts on the field.”

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Bhutan Football Federation’s media and marketing officer, Phuntsho Wangdi, also acknowledged the new participants to be formidable opponents. He said, “This will be an unprecedented and highly challenging tournament. Currently, Lebanon is considered the strongest team among the participants.” Although Bhutan didn’t face Lebanon, they had a previous encounter with Kuwait back in 2000, during the Asia Cup Qualifiers where they suffered a 0-20 defeat.

In the most recent FIFA ranking, Lebanon holds the 99th position, followed closely by India at 101st. Kuwait is ranked 143rd, Maldives is 154th, Nepal at 174th, Bhutan at 185th, Bangladesh at 192nd, and Pakistan at 195th.

Format of SAFF Championship

There are eight teams who are competing in the 2023 SAFF Championship, split into two groups of four. In a round-robin style, each team will play all of its group opponents. The group winner, along with the runner-up, will qualify for the knockouts at the end of all games. The winner of the first group will meet the runner-up from the opposite group in the knockout stages, and vice versa.

Format of thr SAFF Championship
SAFF Championship Trophy (Image Via- dailylivescore.com)

Points will rate the teams who are competing. A team would receive three points for a victory and one point for a draw. If two teams are in the same position on points at the end of all games, then the following stats are taken into account:

  • Points amongst tied teams in their head-to-head matches.
  • Goal difference among tied teams in their head-to-head matches.
  • Goals scored by each of the tied teams in head-to-head matches
  • Goal difference of the tied teams in all group matches
  • Goals scored by the tied teams in all group matches
  • Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are tied and they meet in the last round of the group
  • Disciplinary points
  • Drawing of lots

Pros and Cons of inviting Lebanon and Kuwait in the SAFF Championship

Pros:

There are various benefits to including Lebanon and Kuwait in the SAFF Championship. It would firstly make the tournament more competitive by adding two strong teams that are competent in Asian football. It would reportedly deviate from the tournament’s previous practice of only including countries within the SAARC area. And this would contribute to more diversity and inclusiveness.

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Lebanon National Team (Image Via- AFC.com)

The addition of these teams might help to increase the reputation of the SAFF Championship and draw a larger audience, both domestically and globally. It would give football supporters in Lebanon and Kuwait the opportunity to see their national teams participate in a regional event. This might serve to promote the sport and inspire increased engagement in football.

Cons

There are a few disadvantages to including Lebanon and Kuwait in the SAFF Championship. One possible disadvantage is that bringing in teams from outside the region may generate logistical obstacles, such as travel fees and schedule conflicts. Some critics have also reportedly claimed that admitting teams from outside the area dilutes the tournament’s character and undermines its focus on developing football in South Asia.

FAQ

Who is the highest scorer in the SAFF Championship history?

Ali Ashfaq (Maldives) – 23 Goals

Which team has won the tournament most number of time?

India – 8 times

Which year did this tournament start?

1993

Which country hosted the 2021 SAFF Championship?

Maldives

What does SAFF stand for?

South Asian Football Federation

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